Better climate change adaptation through transformative innovation - enabling conditions and future perspectives

This report examines how climate change adaptation (CCA) can become more transformative in order to address the increasing scale and complexity of climate-related risks. It argues that current adaptation efforts are not being implemented at the speed, scale, or depth required to effectively reduce climate impacts. Conducted for the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the analysis explores how the emerging paradigm of “transformative innovation” can support more ambitious and systemic adaptation strategies. The study develops a conceptual framework based on eight key dimensions of transformative innovation and applies it to five European territories: Gorenjska (Slovenia), Iceland, the Northern Netherlands, Turku (Finland), and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (France). 

The analysis shows that none of the five territories has yet fully harnessed transformative innovation to achieve highly ambitious climate adaptation. While progress exists in some areas, significant gaps remain across the eight transformative dimensions needed to drive systemic change. The report highlights differences in adaptation performance across the territories and identifies both strengths and weaknesses in current approaches. It concludes that more radical and integrated adaptation strategies are needed and proposes practical pathways for policymakers and practitioners to strengthen transformative climate adaptation and better address future climate risks.